Gender and educational information sharing by students in a public university in Nigeria: an empirical study of short messaging services

Abstract

Based on data collected from 190 male and female students of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, this study examined how short messaging services (SMS) technology is being used by the students to exchange informal educational information with themselves and their lecturers, and interact with families/relations and relatives. Data was collected using a questionnaire that contained both closed- and open-ended questions. Females reported liking the technology more than males did; but the males generally sent SMS more than the females did. When unsolicited, the heaviest traffic of SMS exchange took place among peers; the least volume was sent to lecturers by females who however received slightly higher number of SMS from lecturers. When solicited, females sent more SMS to their lecturers, and they also remembered the content of the texts they sent more than the males did. There was an observed narrowing in the gap between males and females in respect of use of old media, such as radio and television in comparison with the new media. Higher educational institutions in Nigeria should collaborate with telecommunications companies and other stakeholders to create and promote educational roles for SMS.

Keywords: Gender, information sharing, universities, Nigeria, short messaging services